Friday, August 5, 2011

In India many sports are played – they include the most popular Cricket, Chess, Tennis, Hockey, Football, Handball, Volleyball, Squash, Badminton, Table tennis, handball, kabbadi, ko ko, boxing, billiards, snooker, bridge and more……. Field Hockey is the Official National Sport in India. India perhaps rules the Cricket World – more so after the successful staging of the Indian Premier League.

There is lot of money in many of the Sports association and most State Units are administered by powerful politicians and influential industrialists.The 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi created many a infrastructure for the sports.Sports and games are part of the International Sporting agenda and even where Indians fail to win medals, a large contingent of officials and administrators accompany the participants. There is money to take care of everybody !

There is theMinistry of Youth Affairs and Sports, a branch of the Government of India, which administers Department of youth affairs and Department of Sports in India.The Ministry was set up as the Department of Sports at the time of organisation of 1982 Asian Games New Delhi. Its name was changed to the Department of Youth Affairs & Sports during celebration of the International Youth Year, 1985. It became a Ministry on the 27 May 2000. The Current Sports and Youth Affairs minister is Mr Ajay Maken who was appointed in November 2010, right after the conclusion of Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Our Sept. 2010 issue of Bliss featured an article on Indian participation atKoblenz, Germany.It was the game of Tennikoit and SYMA member Ravi Srinivasan was the Chef de Mission for the Indian contingent in the 2nd World Tenniquoits Championship held from 31st July to 6th Aug 2010. 8 countries participated. Indian Team won the Bronze medal finishing third.

Cricket is religion to Indians – there is so much of money and fame for those involved with the game.The IPL extravaganza has taken it to newer heights and this is a time when players over the World prefer playing in the IPL more than donning their National colours.There have been instances where players have revealed their injuries only after competing in IPL and some had even preferred to stay from National representation after IPL.

Most sports in India lack proper sponsorship and Associations running these have little or no money even for conduct of their regular affairs and for sponsoring the trips of players for the games.One such appalling case is that of a Tennilkoit captain.His sordid tale as reported in Dinamalar of date is reproduced in the end of this article and here is the link also :Tennikoit Indian Captain

Tennikoit is an outdoor game which has its initiation in India in the early 1960s. Some say that its origin can be traced to the ‘deck tennis’ played on the sports deck of Ocean liners.Decades later, it is an International game now with nearly 20 countries competing for the top spot.Despite this, it has remained obscure and has faced extinction at some points.This game is very famous in southern part of India, especially Tamilnadu in schools and colleges.

Generally, it is played with 2 [singles] as also doubles – the object that is thrown is a circular ring made of rubber.There would be a net across as a barrier.It resembles a badminton court and players try to score 21 points; the games are of 3 sets.It can be played indoors as well as outdoors; on any surface of red sand, clay and cement.It is the agility and catching skills of the players that matter most.

The game starts with a service, served diagonally to the other player – each player takes 5 services in a row, regardless of the point being won or lost.

In the First World championships conducted in India in 2006 players from Germany, South Africa,Bangladesh,Pakistan,Braziland Indiaparticipated. The second one was conducted in Germany in 2010.

Narayana Surya is passionate about this game, playing this game for more than 20 years with distinction.He discontinued studies but continued playing the game.From 2000, he has represented the State of Tamilnadu, being part of the Gold medal winning team. In the First World Championship, he was part of the Bronze winning Indian team.He captained India in the recent championship in 2010 and won Bronze again.

The website of Tamilnadu Tennikoit Association proudly mentions the names of Narayana Suriya and Rathipriya as achievers but do you know what is their plight and how well they are cared ?An International Captain – can you imagine – he is a daily wage earnerworking in a tannery in Vaniampadi, earning around a measly Rs.140/- per day, struggling to make his ends meet.His wife Rathipriya is also reported to be a tennekoit player representing India in South Asian games.They are requesting a Govt. job and better treatment for the game.

It is time the cash rich Sports Federations or the Government did something for them.Does the Ministry of Sports ever care to take of the sportspersons or atleast the Sports ?When sportsmen suffer in chill penury, where is the need for International trips of officials and other administrators.Will the authorities care to answer ????

1 comment:

Thanks for highlighting the plight of sport players other than cricketers. Its not for fame or money that hundreds of narayana suriyas' play, but only for the real love for the games.

Incidentally Mr. Ravi, who i believe is a member of SYMA, has been promoting the game of Tennikoit and is also holding a top position in the Association for long. B.Mahesh of RBI was also involved in administration of this game.